


Runaway

by bpd_changeling



Series: Adventures with the Larkin Kids [1]
Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: M/M, Romeo has ADHD and anxiety, and an ESA, specsromeo - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-25 13:40:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12532792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bpd_changeling/pseuds/bpd_changeling
Summary: Romeo's hyperactive Emotional Support Dog slips her leash. Fluff ensues.(Rated T for language)





	Runaway

**Author's Note:**

> This is part one of an eventual... nine, probably?... parts, each a snapshot or cute/funny moment in the lives of siblings Jack, Crutchie, Race, Romeo, Blink, Sniper, Smalls, and their significant others. Enjoy!~

     "Juliet- wait, Jules- oh fuck!"

     When Romeo had decided to take his Emotional Support Dog to the park that morning for some exercise, he had not been planning on getting much exercise himself. And he  _definitely_ had not been planning on the hyperactive corgi slipping her leash and taking off across the park. Maybe he should have. After all, it was far from the first time she had wiggled her way out of his grasp, though she normally returned on command. His siblings could never fathom how such an energetic and skittish animal could help Romeo with his own anxiety at all, but Juliet really was grounding somehow. That is, when he could catch her.

     He took off after the dog, whistling and calling out, wishing he hadn't worn his three-year-old sneakers that felt like they were falling apart as he ran.

"Jules! Juliet, come back here! Come here, girl! Damn, I thought we trained you," he muttered, giving up on yelling and just continuing to sprint.  _'How can she even run that fast? She has tiny legs.'_ he complained internally as she darted into a small crowd of other dogs, which barked and leaped in response to the intrusion.  _'Even my ADHD ass doesn't have the energy to keep up.'_

     Unfortunately, after that, Romeo had lost sight of his pet completely. He groaned, mentally resigning himself to a wasted morning spent hunting for Juliet. In a stroke of luck, however, it didn't end up taking all that time. In fact, it only took about five minutes before he caught a glimpse of white and brown fur and a tail wagging impossibly fast. Relieved, he hurried forward. She was sitting, staring directly up at a dark-skinned boy with curly black hair and glasses who appeared to be talking to her, holding a box of yogurt covered raisins out of her reach. As Romeo moved closer, he could hear the words.

"I'm sorry, sweet thing, but I can't give you these. They're bad for dogs, and wherever your owner is, I'm pretty sure they don't want a vomiting ESA. I think that might defeat the purpose." Romeo wondered briefly how the boy knew she was an ESA, before remembering she was wearing her little ID vest. Starting to grin, he approached the pair.

     "But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!" he quoted. Both boy and dog turned toward him. The boy- whom Romeo was mentally referring to as Specs- looked perplexed, and Romeo let him be confused about whether or not he was being addressed for a moment before he clarified. "The dog," he said with a slight smirk. "Her name is Juliet." Hearing her name, Juliet abandoned the raisins and returned to her owner's side.

"So now you respond to me," Romeo said with fake annoyance, bending down to reattach the leash to her collar and stroke her fur affectionately. "Not when I was actually calling you or anything. A lot of good you are, you ridiculous potato." Juliet panted happily and wagged her tail. Romeo rolled his eyes.

"Sorry if she caused you any trouble," he told the boy. Specs shook his head.

"No trouble at all; she's a sweetheart. She couldn't bother me if she tried. Poor thing just wanted some food, not that I could give her any. I'm Benjamin, by the way. Benjamin Green." Specs- Benjamin- held out a hand, and Romeo shook it.

"Roman Teller-Larkin. But my friends call me Romeo." Benjamin snorted.

"Romeo and Juliet?" Romeo sighed.

"She was called that when I got her, okay? And I've been Romeo since second grade when I dumped glitter in Maisie Adams and Jeremy Mitchell's hair because they were 'dating' and I had a crush on them both and didn't know how to handle it. And God, that was really too much information; I just met you. Please forget I said all that."

     Benjamin was cackling now.

"Oh my god, that's my new favorite story," he said.

"Oh, shut up, Specs," Romeo shot back. Then, feeling like he should be more grateful on Juliet's behalf, he added, "And, um... thank you. For watching my dog." Benjamin smiled.

"It's no problem, remember? She's a good girl, if a little... high energy."  
"Tell me about it. Oh, speaking of which, I should probably get her home. After a run like that, she'll be crashing any minute. A flash of disappointment crossed Benjamin's face, but it instantly cleared.

"Let me see your phone."

"Not gonna run off with it, are you?" Romeo teased, but he was handing the device over already, so clearly he wasn't too worried. Benjamin typed something in, then handed it back.

"Alright, there. Now you can text me if you ever need someone to watch your dog. Or if you need... anything else." He gave Romeo a crooked grin. Normally, Romeo was smooth as anything, but this time he could feel himself blushing, and his answering laugh was more like a nervous giggle.

"Will do. See you around, then, Benjamin."

"See you."

     Romeo turned and started walking back across the park with a last wave over his shoulder, tugging on the leash to make sure Juliet followed. As he did, he glanced down at his phone screen. There was a new contact number, and right above it, the word "Specs" with a winking emoji. Romeo laughed delightedly and pocketed the phone. He didn't know quite what to make of his interaction with Specs or the feelings in his stomach, but he know that he was dying to find out what would happen next.


End file.
